County on the spot over road funds

Nakuru, Kenya: A section of Members of the County Assembly (MCA) have raised questions on how millions of shillings allocated to the county roads docket in the last financial year was utilised.

Rhonda Ward Rep John Macharia wants the county government to state how Sh180 million for roads was distributed and the criteria used.

Mr Macharia also wants some senior officers in the Roads and Public Works docket investigated for allegedly soliciting money from contractors with a promise of awarding them contracts.

"Certain individuals in the executive who took oath of office to serve the people of Nakuru are allegedly engaging in unethical behaviour. We want a statement on how this money was used," he told the Assembly.

Macharia said devolution was meant to take care of skewed distribution of resources and as a remedy to challenges of favouritism when it comes to sharing of national resources.

Come clean

"One of the most outstanding principles and objectives of devolution is to ensure equitable sharing of national and local resources throughout the country. But this is obviously not happening," Macharia said.

He asked the county government to come clean on whether some executives colluded with contractors to give out contracts.

Deputy Speaker Samuel Tonui directed the Committee on Transport and Public Works to table a statement on the issue, in one month's time.

Elsewhere, Ndundori MCA Steve Kihara has asked senior officers at the county to take responsibility over the fake trade licences scam. He said the arrest of junior staff and interns was aimed at hoodwinking the public.